ard him as
ridiculous and unnatural if, when acting an ordinary English part, he
were to gesticulate very much. We have seen Italian players of ability
representing English characters, and, putting aside Duse, the obvious
and correct criticism was that they were very funny and quite incorrect
in their exuberance of gesture.

Irving is the only actor whom he discusses; Ellen Terry the one English
actress. This, of course, is absurd. It indicates, however, very
usefully the attitude of the foreign critic towards our stage. Also,
perhaps, it is a little chastening to our players. The foreigner is able
to understand and appreciate to some extent the best of our plays; the
acting says nothing to him, or at least nothing flattering. Our
comedians are "buffoons," our lovers are "frankly ridiculous," and the
Italian actors are superior in "temperament"--whatever that may mean.
Ours, it appears, are better than the Italians in some humble ways:
"They dress their parts better and wear their clothes better," and they
even know their parts--a vulgar quality which apparently is rare on the
Italian stage--also they are more cultured, and "possess to a greater
degree the dramatic literary sense."

One may accept, sadly, Signor Borsa's view, which is shared by most
Continental and many British critics, that the ordinary English drama is
utterly unworthy of the English people; but we certainly have abundance
of competent players, and a fair number of dramatists anxious and able
to give the public far better drama than they get, as soon as managers
are willing to produce it; the great trouble is that the managers are
afraid of the public, and although they might wisely be more
venturesome, they have, in the present mass of playgoers, a terrible
public to cater for. The facts and figures offered by Signor Borsa show
too eloquently that the managers attempt to deal with the difficulty by
a very short-sighted policy. Still, the position is less desperate than
the Italian critic supposes, and much of what has happened since Auguste
Filon wrote the line already quoted shows that he was too hasty in his
judgment.

"G.B.S." and the Amateurs

There is a story--its untruth is indisputable--to the effect that on a
death of a man of unconventional character his mournful family, after
much trouble, hit upon the happy thought of satisfying their desire to
leave an amiable and incontestable record concerning him by having
inscribed upon his t